Earthquake at Aceh

10 September 2008

A moderate 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck off Indonesia's Sumatra island on Wednesday but there were no immediate reports of damage, geologists said.

The quake hit at 10.00am (1300 AEST), 30km southwest of Sinabang in Aceh province, the Indonesian meteorology and geophysics agency said via text message.

The quake struck at sea at a depth of 10km but no tsunami warning has been issued, agency head Suharjono told AFP.

"Up to now we have not received any reports of damage from Sinabang city," he said.
At least 23 people died and thousands of homes were damaged last September when an 8.4-magnitude quake hit West Sumatra and other areas.

Indonesia was the nation worst hit by the earthquake-triggered Asian tsunami in December 2004 that killed 168,000 people in the country's Aceh province.

The Indonesian archipelago sits on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, where continental plates meet, causing seismic and volcanic activity.